Fourdrinier manufacture



Aug. 22, 1939. puRv s 2,170,308

FOURDRINIER MANUFACTURE Filed Jan. 21, 1958 1/ INVENTORQ may wa s ATTORNEY.

' Patented Au 22, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOURDRINI'ER. MANUFACTURE Andrew Purves, Holyoke, Mass.

Application Januar 21, 1938, Serial No. 186,119

4 Claims.

This invention relates to the finishing process in the manufacture of Fourdrinier wire for paper machines and the like and is directed more particularly to improvements in apparatus for and methods of finishing Fourdrinier wires.

According to the principal objects of the invention an apparatus and method is provided for the finishingmanufacture of Fourdrinier wires which provides a wire of novel characteristics.

According to special features of the invention after the wire is woven its opposite ends are joined together or seamed as it is called to provide an endless unit and the unit is supported on spaced rolls. One of said rolls at least may be rotated and the said rolls are relatively separable or movable towards and away from one.

another. A rigid member is disposed adjacent one of said rolls and is movable so that it may press on or exert pressure on the fourdrinier as it passes around said roll so as to make the wire smooth by the removal of the objectionable knuckles.

With the unit supported by the rolls, the rolls may be moved apart to stretch the unit while it is traveling over the rolls or the rolls may be stopped while they are moved apart for the stretching.

It is desirable and necessary to make the endless Fourdrinier unit of the correct length for the paper machine. It is therefore made slightly less in length than its ultimate length then stretched to that ultimate length so that in finishedform it will be of the proper length. The stretching according to the invention-facilitates the finishing process of a fourdrinier which will properly fit the paper machine for which it is intended. Also, by the stretching, the seam, which is considerably closed up by the stitching, is opened upto allow for drainage. The running of the fourdrinier over the rolls in conjunction with the tensioning of the rolls by moving them apart not only facilitates the stretching but the knuckles on the inner side of the fourdrinier are made somewhat less prominent by the rolling action so that there is a smoother action as the wire passes" over the suction box of a paper machine.

uniform in all important respects and tends to 5 eliminate freezing or sticking to the suction box to a great extent.

The before mentioned rigid member which The wire as to mesh, straightnessjetc by reason of the rolling and stretching is made in a new fourdrinier at least, to mark the paper objectionably.

As stated, the stretching and rolling may be done independently or simultaneously or one operation may be performed prior to the other and the rigid member may be caused to press on the wire'while it is traveling over the rolls at the time the unit is being tensioned or without the unit being tensioned, all as may be desired.

Various novel features and advantages of the invention will be observed from the following description thereof with reference to the drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a partial elevational view of an apparatus adapted for carrying out the method of the invention;

. Fig. 2 is a partial end elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view on the line 33 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of means for straightening an edge of a Fourdrinier wire.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail the novel features of the invention will be described.

It will be understood that the apparatus to be described may be varied within wide limits for carrying out the novel method of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

In the drawing 2 represents a side rail of the apparatus and 4 represents an end rail. There will be a side rail on each side and an end rail on each end of the apparatus which are similar to those shown. These rails are secured togetherto provide a rigidframe structure and supports such as 6 and 8 are provided for the frame under the various rails.

Forward and rear bearing brackets Ill and I2 are provided, there being a-bearing bracket ID and a bearing bracket l2 on each side of the machine and arranged in pairs to rotatably support shafts. and I6 which carry rolls or drums l8 and 20. The bearing brackets l2 are movable towards and away from thelforwa'rd end of the machine by being slidable on the side rails 2.

Otherbrackets 22 one on each side rail and fixed thereto have a transverse shaft 24 rotatable therein. Worm gears 26 are rotatable in the brackets 22 and threadedly receive the threaded portions/ 28 of rods 30 which are suitably associated with the brackets l2. Worms 32 on shaft 24 mesh with worm gears 26 so that as shaft 24' is rotated in one direction or the other the brackets I2 are moved back and forth. A hand wheel 34 is fixed to shaft 24 to facilitate'rotation thereof.

One of the rolls such as roll 20 is rotated by a driving mechanism and to that end a shaft 36 rotatable in a bearing standard 38 is connected as by a coupling 40 to the shaft i6. A pulley 42 on shaft 36 receives a belt 44 which engages a pulley 46 of a shaft 48 rotatable in a bearing standard 50. A pulley 52 also on shaft 48 is belted as by a belt 54 to a pulley 56 of a driving motor 58.

By the means described or some other suitable means the shaft 36 and thereby the roll 20 may be driven at any desired speed continuously or intermittently all as may be desired.

Means for bearing on an endless Fourdrinier unit which travels around the rolls will now be described. One or more supports 60 extend upwardly from the frame adjacent to roll 20 and in these there is slidable a transverse substantially rigid bar member 62. Screws 64 associated with the members 60 act on the bar member 62 so that it may be made to bear on a Fourdrinier unit on roll 20 with more or less pressure. An abrasive surface such as emery cloth or paper may be applied to the bar 62 for its abrasive action so as to facilitate in the operation of smoothing the knuckles. Hand wheels 66 are provided for operating the screws 64.

In the manufacture of Fourdrinier wire subsequent to the weaving thereof the ends of the wire are usually joined together as 'by sewing or are seamed, as it is commonly called. The fourdrinier is cut and seamed so that as an endless unit it is less in length than actually required for the machine on which it is to be used.

The endless unit is supported by the rolls I8 and 20, one of which rotated and the roll i8 is adjusted to tension or stretch the wire and by rotating .one of the rolls the endless unit is caused to travel over the rolls l8 and 20. By moving the roll l8 away from roll 20 the unit is stretched to any desired extent. As the unit travels over roll 20 and beneath bar 62 the bar may be adjusted to exert more or less pressure on to the wire so as to attain the desired smoothness of the warp knuckles.

The roll l8 may be moved away from roll 20 to stretch the wire while said roll 20 is rotating or the stretching may be done while the wire is stationary all as may be desired.

I have found that by moving the roll l8 away from roll 20 that the wire maybe stretched not only to open up the seam which is desirable but to give to the wire the desired uniformity of mesh, siraightness and other characteristics. The knuckles of the wire on the inside of the unit are smoothed oil by the rolls as the Wire travels over the rolls, or they are made less sharp so that abrupt bends of the wires are eliminated whereby the tendency of the wire sticking or freezing to the suction box of the paper machine is largely obviated.

By causing the bar member 62 to bear on the wire the sharp knuckles on the upper side of the wire, resulting from the crimping of the wire in the course of weaving of the wire, are made smooth or are reduced so that a resurfacing of the wire is effected. This eliminates the objectionable marking of the paper formed on the wire which occurs with sharp, abrupt knuckles. The bar member may be placed at any position to achieve any desired pressure against the wire.

To straighten out the edges of the wire as it travels over the rolls a member 10 having two closely spaced plates 12 is provided. This is supported by a rod 14 slidable in a bracket "5. There may be a member 10 at either side of the machine and these are set to guide the wire onto roll 20'and at the same time prevent sagging, bending or distortion so that the edges will be flat and smooth.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the wire may be stretched to the desired extent not only to make it the necessary length but to open up the sewed seam and provide uniform charac teristics throughout. At the same time and in the same continuous operation the opposite sides of the wire are resurfaced by smoothing out or reducing the knuckles.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: I V

1. An apparatus for processing a Fourdrinier wire having opposite ends secured together to form an endless unit comprising in combination, a support, a pair of fixed bearings on said support, a pair of bearings slidable relative to said first-named bearings, rolls rotatable in the pairs of bearings for supporting an endless Fourdrinier unit, means to move said slidable bearings relative to the fixed bearings whereby a unit may be tensioned while supported by said rolls, supports adjacent one of said rolls, a substantially rigid member movable in said supports towards and away from said roll and disposed longitudinally thereof, and means for moving said member towards said roll into pressing engagement with a unit thereon whereby as the unit is caused to travel by rotation of said roll it passes beneath said member which cooperates with said roll to reduce knuckles in said unit.

2. An apparatus for processing a Fourdrinier wire having itsopposite ends secured together to form an endless unit comprising in combination,

a support, a pair of spaced bearings fixed to said support, a pair of spaced bearings slidable on said support towards and away from said fixed bearings, rolls rotatable in the pairs of bearings for supporting and stretching an endless Fourdrinier unit, means to move said slidable bearings away from the fixed bearings to tension a unit supported by said rolls, means to rotate one of said rolls, supports adjacent one of said rolls, a substantially rigid bar member disposed longitudinally of said roll movable in said supports towards and away from said roll, means to move said member towards said roll for pressing a unit against said roll, all adapted and arranged whereby the said bar member cooperates with said roll as a unit is carried by said roll beneath said member to reduce knuckles in said unit.

3. An apparatus for processing a Fourdrinier wire having its opposite ends secured together to form an endless unit comprising in combination, a support, a pair of spaced bearings fixed to said support, a pair of spaced bearings slidable on said support towards and away from said-fixed bearings, rolls rotatable in the pairs of bearings for supporting and stretching an endless Fourdrinier unit, means to move said slidable bearings away from the fixed'bearings to tension a unit supported by said rolls, means to rotate one of said rolls, supports adjacent one of said rolls, a substantially rigid bar member disposed longi- 75 tudinally of said roll movable in said supports towards and away from said roll, means to move said member towards said roll for pressing a unit against said roll, and means carried by said support at opposite sides thereof including upper and lower plates forming relatively narrow slots therebetween through which opposite edges of a unit may pass whereby marginal portions thereof at opposite sides are engaged by said plates for straightening the edges of said unit.

4.1m apparatus for processing a Fourdrinier wire having opposite ends secured together to form an endless unit comprising in combination,

I a support, a pair or fixed bearings on said support, a of bearings slidable relative to said fixed bearings, rolls rotatable in said bearings for supporting the i'ourdrinier, a means to move said bearings relative to said fixed bearings whereby the tourdrinier maybe tensioned while supported by said rolls, a substantially rigid member supported adjacent to one of said rolls movable towards and away from one of said rolls and disposed longitudinally thereof, and a means for moving said rigid member towards said roll and into pressing engagement with the fourdrinier thereon whereby as the iourdrinier is caused to travel by rotation of said rolls it passes said rigid member which co-operates with said roll to reduce knuckles in the fourdrlnier.

ANDREW PURVES. 

